Dialysis is a well known procedure of renal replacement therapy which is used to provide an artificial replacement for lost kidney function due to renal failure. Typically, in hemodialysis, a patient's blood is pumped through the blood compartment of a dialyzer, exposing it to a semipermeable membrane. Dialysis solution is pumped through the dialysate compartment of the dialyzer, which is configured so that the blood and dialysis solutions flow on opposite sides of the semipermeable membrane. The cleansed blood is then returned via the circuit back to the body of the patient.
It is also known in the art that physical exercise during dialysis improves the efficiency of dialysis.
For example, a news published in Science Daily on May 15, 2006 entitled “Exercise During Dialysis Enhances Results And Overall Physical Performance” discloses a study relating to this topic.
This news may be found on the internet at the following address.: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/05/060515100138.htm
According to this news which is based on a news release of the Queen's University (Kingston, Ontario, Canada), “a study suggests that patients who exercise while hooked up to dialysis show better results in clearing toxins and increasing overall physical stamina”.
More specifically, according to the news “the study has shown that exercise during the process of dialysis increases by 20 percent the removal of urea, one of the toxins collected in the body between dialysis sessions. This indicates that exercise during dialysis can enhance the treatment”.
Another article published by the Journal of the American Physical Therapy Association entitled “EFFECT OF EXERCISE DURING DIALYSIS ON QUALITY-OF-LIFE FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH END-STAGE RENAL DISEASE” by Ann M. Wilson; Nader Jabbour; Jamie Wilde*; Ryan Yorimoto; Kathleen Hummel-Berry Physical Therapy, University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, Wash., related to the same topic.
This article may be found on the internet at the following address. http://www.apta.org/am/abstracts/pt2005/abstractsPt.cfm?pubNo=PO-RR-38-TH
According to this article “CONCLUSIONS: The preliminary results of this study support the premise that exercise can improve some aspects of health-related quality of life in individuals with ESRD [end-stage renal disease]. Further studies are needed to determine the long-term benefits of exercise during dialysis on quality-of-life”.
Experimentally, an increase of 30% of dialysis treatment efficiency has been shown for a patient carrying out a physical exercise during dialysis (in this case a stationary bike).
However, average dialysis patient age is around 70 y (and many are handicapped) thus it is difficult or impossible to have them exercise properly.
Therefore, there is need for simple means and methods that would improve the dialysis and that may be used also by aged patients or patients with a limited mobility.